The Only MCU Phase 4 Watch Order You Need: Chronological Timeline

So, Marvel Phase 4. If you felt like you needed a color-coded spreadsheet, an industrial-strength calendar, and maybe a support group to keep up—don't worry, you weren't alone. The MCU basically cracked open its own multiverse just to toss storylines, release dates, and new characters in a blender, hit 'purée,' and poured the results all over Disney+. COVID didn't help; the whole lineup slid a year, and some projects leapfrogged each other like hyperactive frogs at an open house. If you've lost track of what's supposed to happen when—both on your TV and in-universe—here's the rundown. Let's walk through Phase 4 by when things actually happen for the characters, not when Marvel finally let us watch them.

The Chronological (Not Release) Order of MCU Phase 4

• 'I Am Groot' (Season 1): Yep, this one’s first. While the pint-sized tree’s solo adventures dropped much later, most of 'I Am Groot' Season 1 actually happens right after 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.' Only the very first episode is set after the original 'Guardians.' Groot goes from being a houseplant to a toddler tearing up the spaceship, generally causing chaos. Technically, in MCU time, these shorts set the tone for Phase 4—not that they have universe-shaking stakes or anything.
• 'Black Widow': This was the first new MCU film we got after that big, weird pandemic gap. But catch: the film’s story is actually wedged between the fallout of 'Captain America: Civil War' and just before 'Infinity War.' Basically, Natasha’s on the run, picking up the pieces with her (extremely dysfunctional) family. The after-credits scene finally jumps to MCU ‘present day,’ with Yelena Belova meeting Valentina Allegra de Fontaine at Natasha’s grave—a scene that later ties her directly to the 'Hawkeye' show. Who says Marvel doesn’t love a moody cemetery meetup?
• 'Loki' (Season 1): So, Loki nabs the Tesseract during the 'Endgame' heist in New York and—poof—he’s off to the TVA, a place so outside normal time that the timeline practically curls in on itself. The only thing you truly need to know: Loki (plus Sylvie) brings down 'He Who Remains,' kicking off all the multiverse chaos we’re about to get. This is where things get absolutely wild for the MCU’s arc.
• 'What If...?' (2021): Let’s talk animated multiverse. While technically off to the side, these 'What If...?' episodes showed us just how many spinning plates the MCU could have at once—all thanks to the chaos in 'Loki.' If you’ve got MCU fatigue, this is probably where it started: so many variants, so little time. There are even direct parallels (and a few plot echoes) to 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.'
• 'WandaVision': This one picks up about three weeks after 'Endgame.' Wanda, needing some serious therapy, instead goes full sitcom overlord and rewrites reality for a town in New Jersey. If the conceit sounds wild on paper, it’s even wilder on screen—and sets Wanda up for her off-the-rails arc in 'Doctor Strange 2.'
• 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings': Early 2024 is where this lands. The MCU’s “Official Timeline” book (yes, those exist) confirms a bunch of background details: Shang-Chi’s parents met in the ‘90s, he’s sent on a mission in 2014, and shows up in San Francisco as a regular guy after that. But the actual movie plays out post-'Endgame.' There are flashbacks galore, and by the end, Shang-Chi and Katy get whisked off by Wong to meet real Avengers—as you do.
• 'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier': Picture this as almost a year after 'Endgame.' Sam Wilson’s struggling with what it even means to be Captain America, while John Walker gets handed the shield and promptly becomes one of the MCU’s most hated characters—it’s not subtle. Sam’s journey ends with him finally suiting up as Cap (and looking good, honestly), while Walker gets recruited by Marvel’s new favorite shady boss, Val. Meanwhile, Sharon Carter is now some kind of criminal boss, because everyone breaks bad in Marvel land eventually.
• 'Eternals': This one is massive in scope—like, 'let’s show you the creation of the universe' massive—but the main story happens after 'Endgame,' in fall 2024. The Eternals, the MCU’s most immortal (and fashion-forward?) bunch, have to clean up a Celestial mess before it cracks the Earth wide open. There are ancient flashbacks, but the current-day action lines up with Bruce Banner training Jen Walters and Spider-Man dealing with being doxxed by Mysterio. That giant Celestial head sticking out of the ocean? It’ll get referenced in 'She-Hulk,' and likely again in 'Thunderbolts.'
• 'Spider-Man: No Way Home': Here’s where timelines get messy. This one takes place right after 'Far From Home'—so, summer 2024—but stretches forward through Halloween and ends with Spidey swinging around Rockefeller Center at Christmas. The biggest trick: a lot of Phase 4 events actually happen before this. By the end, Peter’s alone, nobody remembers him, and he’s basically reset. Chronologically, this wraps up right before 'Hawkeye.'
• 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness': So, you probably assumed 'Hawkeye' happened right after Spider-Man’s latest drama, but the timeline’s actually sneakier. The wild interdimensional shenanigans of 'Multiverse of Madness' are squeezed into the few weeks after Peter Parker’s memory wipe and before Clint Barton goes Christmas shopping. Steven Strange is busy fighting through the world’s weirdest wedding season and dealing with an unhinged Wanda—whose villain turn was teed up perfectly in 'WandaVision.' Fun fact: while real weddings don’t usually happen in December, Marvel’s too busy bending the timeline to care.

Still Confused? You're Not Alone

So, in case you’re doing a rewatch (or just need bragging rights at your next nerd party), that’s your cheat sheet for MCU Phase 4—absurd timeline knots and all. Here’s my main advice: Don’t try too hard to make it all fit neatly. Marvel clearly isn’t. But if you need a snappy one-liner to tie it together, try this one, from the architects themselves:

'We care about the timeline, but sometimes you just have to go with what feels right for the story.'